Palworld Developer Pocketpair Reveals Psychological Horror Game Dead Take, Launching in 2025

image: Dead Take

Pocketpair, the studio behind the smash-hit Palworld, is stepping into a darker genre with its upcoming title Dead Take, a first-person psychological horror game set to release in 2025. 

Developed in collaboration with Surgent Studios, Dead Take promises an intense, immersive experience that’s already unsettling even those closest to the project.

The announcement was made by community manager John Buckley in a social media post, where he confessed that Dead Take was “so scary” he could only watch others play it.

A Terrifying First-Person Experience

Dead Take drops players into the role of an actor navigating a mysterious mansion in search of a missing friend. The game combines exploration, object-based puzzles, and narrative-driven horror, all while weaving a sinister story inspired by real-world experiences in the entertainment industry. 

According to its Steam description, players will uncover chilling audition tapes, disturbing secrets, and shadowy figures who hold unsettling power over one’s career.

While details remain scarce, a brief teaser has been released, offering glimpses of eerie environments and atmospheric sound design. With its emphasis on psychological horror and immersion, Dead Take is being compared to genre classics like Outlast, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard—all of which use the first-person perspective to amplify fear by limiting the player's visibility and control.

Pocketpair and Surgent Studios have issued a content warning for Dead Take, noting the presence of “implied violence” and “blood.”

With more information promised soon, Dead Take is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most anticipated horror titles.